MAJOR COMPONENTS RELATED TO CNC MACHINE
TOOLS
Any CNC machine tool essentially consists of the following parts:
Part program:
• A series of coded instructions required to produce a part.
• Controls the movement of the machine tool and on/off
control of auxiliary functions such as spindle rotation
and coolant.
• The coded instructions are composed of letters, numbers
and symbols. 19
Program input device
• The program input device is the means for part
program to be entered into the CNC control.
• Three commonly used program input devices are
punch tape reader, magnetic tape reader, and
computer via RS-232-C communication.
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Machine Control Unit
The machine control unit (MCU) is the heart of a CNC
system. It is used to perform the following functions:
• To read the coded instructions.
• To decode the coded instructions.
• To implement interpolations (linear, circular, and
helical) to generate axis motion commands.
• To feed the axis motion commands to the amplifier
circuits for driving the axis mechanisms.
• To receive the feedback signals of position and speed
for each drive axis.
• To implement auxiliary control functions such as
coolant or spindle on/off and tool change.
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Machine Tool
• CNC controls are used to control various types of
machine tools.
• Regardless of which type of machine tool is
controlled, it always has a slide table and a spindle
to control position and speed.
• The machine table is controlled in the X and Y
axes, while the spindle runs along the Z axis.
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Feed Back System
• The feedback system is also referred to as the
measuring system.
• It uses position and speed transducers to continuously
monitor the position at which the cutting tool is located
at any particular instant.
• The MCU uses the difference between reference signals
and feedback signals to generate the control signals for
correcting position and speed errors.
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Drive System
• Drives are used to provide controlled motion to
CNC elements
• A drive system consists of amplifier circuits, drive
motors, and ball lead-screws.
• The MCU feeds the control signals (position and
speed) of each axis to the amplifier circuits.
• The control signals are augmented to actuate drive
motors which in turn rotate the ball lead-screws to
position the machine table.
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